Children's Commissioner accused of distorting divorce study

Children’s Commissioner Helen D'Amato on Monday cited studies by clinical psychologist Joan Kelly and Prof Robert Emery of the University of Virginia, which she claimed "showed children in their first family are at reduced risk from emotional trauma or even developing mental health complications than those living with second (reconstituted) families through cohabitation or remarriage."

But a read through the same studies reveals that D’Amato was highly selective in her quotations:omitting entirely the main bulk of the researchers’ conclusions, and misrepresenting some of the salient findings.

In reality the study quoted by D’Amato suggests that the effects of divorce are actually minor, and in any case entirely analogous with the effects of legal separation. The researchers also underline that the vast majority of children from broken marriages are not permanently scarred by the experience.

In ‘Children’s Adjustment Following Divorce: Risk and Resilience Perspectives’ (2003), Kelly and Emery observe that “although we do wish to promote more happy marriages, we conclude that although some children are harmed by parental divorce, the majority of findings show that most children do well".

Significantly, they added: “To suggest otherwise is to provide an inaccurate interpretation of the research findings.”

The study aims to “review the empirical research literature on the adjustment of children of divorce from the perspective of the stressors that divorce generally presents for children, the type and extent of risk observed in divorced children when compared with those still in married families, and factors that have been demonstrated to ameliorate risk for children during and after divorce.”

D’Amato presented her own interpretation of this research at a meeting of the anti-divorce lobby group Moviment Zwieg Bla Divorzju on Monday, where she argued against the introduction of divorce legislation.

Defending the use of children during the campaign, the Children’s Commissioner reasoned that children "have a right" to be informed of the effects of divorce. And while expressing her strong reservations about the proposed legislation, she also acknowledged that not all children would be affected.

"Divorce is neither a solution for the suffering of children experiencing marital breakdown... nor will it turn all children into victims."

Among D’Amato’s claims was that children of divorced parents are at greater risk of mental health disorders than others. She specified that while 10% of children coming from families without divorce are at  risk of having mental health problems, children coming from families who have gone through the process of divorce face a 25% risk. But on this too, the empirical research suggests otherwise. Kelly and Emery observe that: “Despite the increased risk reported for children from divorced families, the current consensus in the social science literature is that the majority of children whose parents divorced are not distinguishable from their peers whose parents remained married in the longer term.”

Furthermore, the researchers do not distinguish between divorce and separation, indicating that there is no evidence to suggest their effects are any different: “Not to minimise the stresses and risk to children that separation and divorce create, it is important to emphasise that approximately 75-80% of children and young adults do not suffer from major psychological problems, including depression; have achieved their education and career goals; and retain close ties to their families. They enjoy intimate relationships, have not divorced, and do not appear scarred with immutable negative effects from divorce.”

The same study cited by D’Amato concludes that a significant percentage of children from divorced families go on to become higher achievers: “approximately 42% of young adults from divorced families had well-being scores above the average of young adults from nondivorced families.”

When confronted with these and other discrepancies between the report;’s findings and her own statements on Monday, D’Amato defended her own interpretation of this research.  

“What I said was that children who experience divorce are more at risk to suffer ill health,” she told maltatoday. “I never said that all children who experience divorce will suffer ill health. The study I quoted mentions the risks that divorce can cause on children and how this can impinge on the social, educational, psychological and emotional well being of children. However please remember that when I was mentioning risks I used the words: ‘Ma hemm xejn assolut la naha u lanqas ohra, imma studji juru li t-tfal li jesperjenzaw divorzju jistghu jkunu f’riskju akbar’. (There is nothing absolute one way or another, but studies show that children who experience divorce could be at higher risk.) I also said that this also applies to separations, annulments and divorce.”

What the study concluded:

Although we do wish to promote more happy marriages, we conclude that although some children are harmed by parental divorce, the majority of findings show that most children do well’

To suggest otherwise is to provide an inaccurate interpretation of the research findings

The current consensus in the social science literature is that the majority of children whose parents divorced are not distinguishable from their peers whose parents remained married in the longer term

Approximately 75-80% of children and young adults do not suffer from major psychological problems, including depression; have achieved their education and career goals; and retain close ties to their families. They enjoy intimate relationships, have not divorced, and do not appear scarred with immutable negative effects from divorce.

‘Approximately 42% of young adults from divorced families had well-being scores above the average of young adults from nondivorced families

Additional reporting by Nestor Laiviera